BBC News with Sue Montgomery
The Arab League has called on the Syrian government to immediately stop using violence against protesters, who've been demanding reforms since the middle of March. It said it was increasingly concerned about the deteriorating security situation. Here's Jon Leyne.
Until now, the league has been deeply divided over what to do about Syria. The secretary general himself was a supporter of the opposition in Egypt that overthrew President Mubarak, but many countries, such as Saudi Arabia, fear giving any encouragement to what's become known as the Arab Spring. In March, the league gave unprecedented support for the imposition of a no-fly zone over Libya. There's no sign of such
decisiveness
over Syria, but the statement is a sign of the growing international pressure on the government of President Assad.
In Syria itself, opposition activists say government forces have attacked two towns, killing more than 75 people. The government denies shelling Deir al-Zour. A man living in the city told the BBC the army tanks had withdrawn from Deir al-Zour, but citizens feared they would return in the morning. Jim Muir reports.
Activists said tanks ringing Deir al-Zour
opened up
with shellfire during the early morning call to prayer, then moved into several districts under the cover of heavy gunfire. Reports from activists said some areas were completely
cut off
and described what was happening there as a real massacre. The authorities denied that tanks had shelled the city or gone into it, but they did say that army units had taken action to clear protester barricades blocking access roads. They gave a similar explanation for a crackdown at al-Hula, near Homs in central Syria, where activists said there were also heavy casualties among civilians attacked by tanks and troops.